User blog:WildloughRhulain/The Quean and the Rhulain Book One- Blackrudder's Prophecy
'Author's Notes' This isn't canon timeline, it's an alternate universe crossover between more than one Redwall novel. I always wanted to see what a crossover would be like. The main idea for this was mine, but I'm not writing it alone, I have a lot of friends working as co authors. I've decided it'll be a cooperative write. I'll credit which users wrote which parts in the comment section below. 'Prologue' 'I lay motionless on my bed, my face haggard and streaked with new and drying tears, my eyes hollow, gazing blankly into space. My paw rested on an open diary. The ink where I'd written was so tearstained that it was barely legible, leaving smudged spaces among the words. Day one- Kyria, I'm s_rri, baby. Your de_th was mi fault. I won't eet until I cr_ss the Gat_s. Day two- Leatho, I l_ve you m_re th_n mi own life, I always h_ve, I alw_ys will. I'm hurtin_ so m_ch now that I can't h_ndle it. I'm sor_y. I wish I culd give you a hug rite now ___ let yoo know how mu_h. . . Day three- F_ther...By the t_me that you re_d this...I will be with M_ther on the other side of the gates to Dark F_rest...I. . . I love y_u. Ple_se don't w_rry. Mom will t_ke care of me. . . Raising a shaking paw and a quill, I scratched out a new message in wobbly letters: Day unknown- This will be mi last entry. Banya, tak care of the clans for me. Don't blame yourselfes for your Rhoolayn's death, I chosse to die by mi own paw. I'm the reeson Kyria Streembattle died, I'll joyn her on the other syde of the Gates. ''-'' '''Tiria Wildlough, High Rhoolayn of Green Isle The insistent pain from my stomach bothered me only as much as a mosquito bite now, and mosquito bites could easily be ignored. The ache in my heart was greater. Weakly I hid the open diary under my tearstained pillow and rolled over on my back. My strength was gone and so was my pride. I had failed my clans and I couldn't, wouldn't allow it to happen again. Why won't death just take me now? I took my sling in my right paw and waited, yearning for the Gates to open and for my name to be called. Give me the call, I'm ready, I want it. Give me the call to cross into Dark Forest and I'll come. . . . '' A rasping sigh came from my chest. The dismal events of the previous week. . . ''or was it two weeks now? Time has no meaning for me anymore. . . ''cycled through my mind in rapid progression as I closed my eyes for what I knew would be the last time. . . . 'Chapter One' A bustle of activity in Holt Summerdell had woke me. W''hat's going on? It's still the middle of the night. . . Are we under attack?! Whulky's voice came through my door as I dove out of bed, grabbing for my sling under my pillow. "Queen Tiria, [http://holtrhulain.wikia.com/wiki/Aliria_Streambattle ''Aliria's '']'''''having her kitts!" As soon as I heard "kitts" I knew what was going on. Chab Streambattle's wife was due to have kitts, but they weren't supposed to be due until next season! Shocked completely awake, I tore across my bedroom, slamming the door open so hard that it rattled the hinges. I flew out of my quarters for the nursery, panting and cursing myself. If Aliria was having trouble with the birth. . . . By the fang, I wish my quarters were closer to the nursery! I unintentionally bowled my strong right paw and friend, Deedero Galedeep, over in my panic and sent her sprawling. She yelled down the hall, "The Rhulain's on her way, mates!" "Deedero, I'm sorry!" I yelled back. I started to stop and turn around, but she pointed me down the hall. "I'm all right, milady! You're needed in the nursery, I'm right behind you!" My paws moved like lightning as I ran, I couldn't remember how fast I got to the nursery. One minute I was speaking to Deedero, the next I was bursting into a crowded room, my heart hammering. The clans parted, giving me a clear path to run to the bedside. I was so panicked I don't remember much of what happened next, but I must have acted as the midwife, because I remember two tiny bodies coming out into my paws. This was my first delivery and it had gone great! "You have twins!" I laughed as I gently cleaned the kitts. One boy, one girl. "They're lovely, Aliria! What are their names?" "Our son's Rydan . Chab and I weren't sure whether to name the girl Derian after my mother or not, but there's one name that means more than anything to Chab and I." Aliria looked exhausted and haggard, but was smiling. "It's yours, your Majesty. You delivered us all from the cats, from slavery and death; you delivered my babies. Her name will be Kyria , after you; the K in the beginning of her name's for your kindness." Happy tears welled in my eyes and I blushed. "Please, Aliria, ceremony and titles aren't necessary. Call me Tiria." I hugged the new ottermum. "If there's anything at all I can do to help, please let me know." Kyria yawned from her mother's arms, showing a tiny pink tongue. Rydan cooed and waved a tiny paw. Deedero smiled at the newborns. "They're little miracles!" "Tiria, could you take this little mite for me? It's kind of hard holding two squirming kitts at once right now." Aliria grinned warmly and gently passed Kyria back to me. "I'll be glad to!" I took the chair at Aliria's bedside, making sure I supported the babe's tiny head with a paw. I knew I was holding one of the most important treasures ever. I smiled lovingly at the kitt, held a pawpad over her mouth. . . she started sucking on it. Leatho Shellhound stepped into the room, watching me cradle the newborn gently. The fearsome cat slayer had tears in his eyes. I heard a low growl, saw for a moment a brief flash of anger in his eyes, and then it was gone as he nodded and placed a paw around my shoulders, staring at the babe in my arms. "Tiria. . . Tiria. . ." Leatho looked away from me, shuffling a paw. He finally gave me a snort and a wink. "Good job!" Two days later, I found Chab standing at my door in shock, crying. I let my friend in and hugged him. "Chab, what happpened?!" "O-o-one of our k-kitts. . . is d-d-dead," Chab sobbed. "It's K-Kyria. . . " Shock and grief hit me like a ton of bricks. I tore screaming from my quarters and into the Streambattle quarters two doors down with Chab hot on my rudder. "Kyria! No! I won't let you die! Get the healers!" Chab raced from the room in panic. The healers tore through the door a minute later and set to work. They finally stepped back, shaking their heads sadly. I scooped the kitt up. . . she was still warm. . . there was a chance! I checked Kyria's airway. . . it wasn't blocked. I started frantically pumping her tiny chest with the tip of my paw and breathing for her. Five hard, fast compressions, then a breath into her lungs. I can't remember how long I kept the cycle going. . . . The healers finally had to physically pull me away from the kitt. "Milady, we've lost her." Hearing those words shattered my heart to pieces. I threw my head back and screamed in grief at the tops of my lungs, waking every still-sleeping otter in Holt Summerdell. It was a long, wordless, keening wail of agony and anguish that knifed the hearts of everybeast hearing it. I can't be around the clans right now, if they see their Rhulain break down. . . .! They see me as their strong leader, I can't show weakness! Tiria, you stupid idiot, you failed her! Get to your quarters before you lose control. . . . Before anybeast could move to stop me I'd jumped to my feet, whirled and fled the infirmary at a sprint. Deedero, Banya and Leatho watched the door slam behind me. Four Days Later Banya came up to Leatho, biting her claws. "L-Leatho?" Leatho turned to face her, looking as scared as she was. "Banya, I'm worried. When was the last time you saw the Rhulain?" "Um...last time I saw her she locked herself in her room four days ago." "Four days ago! ''I need to see her! Watch the kitts!" The last Shellhound took off running from the water's edge to my quarters. Leatho sprinted through Holt Summerdell in a panic, his heart hammering. He couldn't breathe. The only thought running through his mind now was my name. Kolun Galedeep saw Leatho racing past him and knew where he was going. Kolun followed, twisting a sling in his paws like he would a wildcat's neck. ''"Kolun, help me! Something's wrong with Tiria!" '' As they reached the door Leatho was panting for breath but there was no time to catch it. He turned the handle of the door and to his dismay it was locked. His heart stopped. ''"Kolun!" he shouted frantically. The big otter shoved Leatho out of the way and threw all of his weight against the door. Leatho did the same and soon the door crashed to the floor raising a cloud of dust. Before the dust could clear, they were through the door. "Search her rooms!" Leatho's voice broke from panic. He was shaking and couldn't stop. Kolun reached my bedroom doorway and froze in panic. "Le...Leatho! Come quick!" Leatho ran into the room and stopped suddenly. Time, his heart . . . everything seemed to stop for him as he took in a sight he knew he'd never forget: It looked like I was laid out in state on the bier of a fallen warrior at his or her funeral. I lay upon my back on my bed, my face haggard and gaunt from lack of food, my eyes closed. I was wearing a dark green tunic, my kilt and my coronet. My right paw held my sharkskin sling; my javelin lay beside me on my left side. My left paw rested on my open diary. Was I dead?! "Tiriaaaaaaaaa!" Leatho screamed my name at the tops of his lungs as he flew to my side and lifted my head. He couldn't even tell if I was breathing! "Kolun, I don't think she's breathing! Get help!" Kolun tore from the room in tears, screaming. "Help! Deedero, Banya, anyone! The Rhulain needs help!" Leatho looked at me. It broke his heart to look at my unkempt fur, my thin body, and visible bones. His paw gently traced my cheekbone. "Why Tiria....why did you do this to yourself?" He broke down. Each clanbeast was biting his or her claws as they tore from their homes at a sprint and came running. "Queemarm," a kitt breathed, sending a shiver of fear down the spines of the other kitts. They burst into tears as one. "Hold the kitts, keep them back!" Leatho jumped to the bed and pulled me close against him, sobbing. As he did, he unconsciously knocked the diary to lay open to the marked page on the bed. "Ti-Tiria. . . ." He rocked me back and forth in his arms like he would an otterkitt. "You're n-n-not just my Rhu-Rhulain, you're the other half of my h-heart, my s-soul, my rea-reason for li-living. . . ." Deedero stormed into the room, panic flashing in her eyes. "What's wrong with the Rhulain?!" She hurried towards the bed but as she came close, Leatho pulled me closer to him and growled with his teeth bared. "Stay away from her!" Deedero backed away reluctantly. She had no idea what to do. Suddenly something on the bed caught her eye. She picked up the diary and read a few entries. . . the diary dropped from her paws and Deedero cried out in horror. Category:Blog posts Category:Unfinished Fanfiction Category:Book Crossovers Category:Collaborative Ideas Category:The Quean and the Rhulain